


brass knuckles can't hold a girl's hand

by be_kind_rewind



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Bad Flirting, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Minor Original Character(s), Mobster Axel, Organized Crime, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Russian Mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2020-06-29 08:57:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19826794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_kind_rewind/pseuds/be_kind_rewind
Summary: Jessi was from a blink-and-you-miss-it town. Axel was from guns that made people bleed. Maybe they have something in common - it just might be love.





	1. small towns break my back

Jessi comes from one of  _ those  _ towns. You know the ones. The blink and you miss it sort of existence that is only seen in Hallmark movies as being the focal point of a “coming of age story” as some uptight businesswoman learns she shouldn’t be a jerk. Or dies of cancer. It’s always one or the other.

Well, Jessi can tell you that living with the same people in the same town seeing the same thing is just as boring as you would think - Hallmark be damned. She couldn’t wait for the day that she was able to finally go out, be her own women, explore the world,  _ see something new. _

And now after spending her first week in New York City she never wanted to see those country roads again. This is where she was meant to be. She could feel it. Everyone had judged her of course. They didn’t understand the need that was so deep inside of her it felt like it was going to swallow her whole. 

They all thought she was crazy for moving to the big city. It’s not like she was going to do heroin or anything. All she wanted was to find a small steady job and maybe work on that acting thing she liked so much in high school. She wasn’t expecting to make it big or anything - she was a smart girl and knew those were rare - she just wanted to be where things  _ happened.  _

Jessi was walking home from the coffee shop job she had managed to land in one of the first days of her being here. She was lucky enough to have a friend in the area who had been scouting for jobs that she could snatch up as soon as her plane touched down. Now that she was working a full amount of hours to pay for her rent, she could afford to spend her evenings all to herself. Which usual meant watching TV or trying to learn to knit via YouTube or the occasional nightly dance class to boost that performance resume. 

Needless to say, somethings taught to you by a small town are hard to shake. Jessi is pounding the pavement, head down, earbuds in, desperate to get home as her feet are killing her from standing almost all day. She doesn’t care that her friends are going out right now, all she wants is a warm shower and some food.

She’s thinking about how much she is going to enjoy her Thai food leftovers when she sees someone step out of an alleyway and hears a rough voice demand,

“Hand me your wallet.” 

She slowly takes out her earbuds not quite sure if what is happening is actually happening. She knows what getting mugged is like - but she’s never really thought about it happening, you know, in real life.

“I’m sorry. What’s happening?” She asks. As soon as the words leave her mouth she realizes how dumb that is but she guesses it’s better to be clear than hand her wallet over to a stranger. 

“Give me your money.” She then sees the blade he is carrying glint in the street light. “Or I am going to take it from you.” 

“Alright.” Jessi takes a few breaths trying to keep herself from panicking right now. It’s better to give him her measly amount of cash than being killed, or worse, be stuck with a hospital bill for being stabbed. “I’m going to get it out of my back pocket now.” She tells the man, proud that her voice remains steady. 

Jessi is reaching into her back pocket and feeling for her tip money when all of a sudden a roaring noise comes from the alleyway and bright lights shine onto her and her assailant. The noise grows in volume as it zooms towards them and Jessi realizes that that noise is, in fact, a vehicle of some kind and that it is headed straight towards them.

Not being someone looking to get run over, Jessi decided this is where she makes her exit and spins around bolting back the way she came and a speed she liked to call  _ Walmart on Black Friday.  _ She’s gone about a block and a half, which is about all her lungs can handle, when she gives up and slouches against a bench outside of some Italian restaurant. She closes her eyes and throws her head into her hands wondering how she is going to explain this to her roommate, or worse, to her mom. 

“You’re welcome.” A husky voice says making her bring her head up slowly wondering if it's possible to get mugged twice in one night. 

“I’m sorry?” Because apparently, Jessi asks questions to might be muggers. However, as she catches sight of the man talking she realizes that this is probably not someone who wants her money. As taken by what seems to be a very,  _ very,  _ expensive motorcycle he is sitting on - he has more money than her.

“You should be.” The man whose bright red hair seems to stand out even in the darkness. “You ran away before you could tell me thank you. It’s not nice to do that.” He flicks her a wink in the wort of way all charming guys do when they think they’re right. It also draws Jessi’s attention to his stunning green eyes, but more importantly to the strange tattoos that lie just beneath them.

“Wait. No. That’s not at all what I meant.” Jessi stammers out. It’s hard to believe she can keep her cool in front of a dude brandishing a weapon but in front of a decently attractive man, her mouth and lips feel all numb. “Why am I thanking you?” 

“Well. I am the guy who just saved you from being knifed about, oh - two minutes ago.” He replies nonchalantly.” He looks at his imaginary watch for emphasis, because he’s  _ that  _ kind of guy. “Although. The lack of tears and general hysteria has me intrigued.” 

And that just ticks Jessi off even more than she already was. And considering she was being held up five minutes ago - is impressive.

“Hold on. If you could see my clear lack of hysteria, then you could see I had it covered!” She yells. She’s not sure why she’s yelling it just seems like the right thing to do. “There was no need to almost kill us. Yes, US I might add!”

“Almost?” The man scoffs laughing a little bit to himself and shaking his head like she told him a dumb joke. “Sweetie, you wound me. You really think me that incompetent? If I wanted you guys dead you would be.” 

“I’m sorry,” Jessi responds, because what in God’s name is that kind of answer. “Do I know you?”

It’s suddenly strange that out of all the things Jessi has said this is the one that gets the man on the motorcycle to shut up. He looks Jessi up and down taking her in before squinting his eyes and saying slowly,

“Clearly not.” He pauses. “My name is Axel… got it memorized.”

“Axel?” Now it’s Jessi’s turn to scoff. “What kind of name is that?”

“It’s one you want to remember around these parts darling.” He replies with all of the charms back and in full force. Jessi is an honest girl. She will admit that his smirk does make her legs a little bit weak. But she also graduated top of her class and realize this is a perfect kidnapping scenario. “Especially if you want to be out walking around at night. Alone, I might add.” 

Jessi rolls her eyes. Rich people don’t get it and especially those who are men. Jessi doesn’t get to choose when she walks home from work. She just does and sometimes women get hurt. She does her best to prepare but it’s not Jessi’s fault she was mugged. It was the man doing the mugging.

“Doesn’t that generally cover the entirety of New York? Nowhere is safe.” Jessi retaliates. Axel, at least she has a name now, though how good or real it is has yet to be determined, he gives a snort and says,

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. But that’s not the kind of parts I’m talking about. My family is… familiar with the area. Those who know me don’t get messed with on these streets.” 

“You live around here then?” Jessi asks, the curiosity in her getting the better of her and wanting to unravel that weird and mysterious sentence. 

“That doesn’t matter,” Axel says quickly. “What matters is if you live around here. We should get you home. Let me give you a ride.”

And there was that kidnapping scenario all over again.

“This is in no way a we situation, thank you very much. I happen to come from a good home with a good mother who taught me not to ride on the back of boys motorcycles, especially ones I just met. And definitely not without a helmet.” Jessi tells Axel, already standing up and brushing herself off, wondering if she will have to take an alternate route home. 

“I enjoy how that is your criteria. so, if I had a helmet you would ride with me then?” Axel asks with a huge mocking grin.

“Listen. I enjoy you saving me my twenty dollars in cash. I can now buy on brand toothpaste at Target. But really, I can manage getting home from here.” Despite home being now even farther away.

“Alright.” Axel relents. “Even someone as handsome as me needs to know when to quit.” He revs his engine and takes off down the street. Jessi stands there in the dark for a second running her hands through her hair and wondering if the was too much too soon. She mentally slaps herself. If she wants to be where things happen she has to learn to deal with the not so nice things happening too. 

Although she knows Axel is nowhere in sight, as Jessi walks home that night she thinks she catches bright red out of the corner of her eye several times.

She chalks it up to the exhaustion and unlocks her front door - longing for a good night's sleep. 


	2. cellphone numbers are a rare currency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessi has a phone number. Axel wants it.

Jessi has forgotten all about the incident, and by the incident, she, of course, means being held a knifepoint and then meeting maybe the hottest person she has ever seen. Too bad he had to be a huge creep and also lack basic safety features. It wasn’t like she would randomly think about him and calculate the odds that he actually was a serial killer. Serial killers didn’t look that good in leather jackets or wear expensive black denim jeans that stretched perfectly over their muscular thighs. Serial killers were creepy old men or teenage white boys, right? 

So maybe she’d been moping a little bit at the loss of a perfectly good rom-com moment. Maybe she had also been blaming the fact she had stayed in for the past four nights on the fact she’d gotten mugged. Jessi failed to mention her interaction with Axel to her roommate because she knew what her exact reaction would be.

_ You did the right thing! He probably would have drugged you. You need to keep away from those types of people Jessi. They are up to no good.  _ Sophia didn’t get it. She didn’t understand Jessi and how when she left home she had swore to try to branch out - try new things.

“This is sad, even for me, and I was doing embroidery in my room listening to  _ The Backstreet Boys _ ,” Sophia says standing in the doorway of Jessi’s room. Jessi looks up from her bed where she had been laying and scrolling through endless amounts of iFunny - because that’s where her life was right now. 

“It’s not sad. I was going to get up and shower soon.” Jessi replies rolling over onto her face and letting out a sigh into the pillow.

“Oh yeah? And how long have you been telling yourself that?” Sophia replies walking over and sitting down on the edge of the bed giving Jessi a good shove. 

“An hour. Maybe two. No longer than two and a half.” Jessi muttered realizing she had already lost this conversation. 

“Well, that settles it. We are going out.” Jessi groans at Sophia. “Not that kind of out. What do you take me for? An extrovert. Let’s go see a movie or something. Just something to get you out of whatever this coma is. Put on a bra and we’ll head out in five.”

Jessi does as she’s told and as they head out of their small apartment building and into the New York air. She has to admit, getting out like this is way more enjoyable than her stuffy room. Not that she’ll admit it to Sophia. That girl doesn’t need the ego boost. 

They end up seeing some sort of overseas movie about rich people and love triangles or something. To be honest Jessi sort of zoned out through most of it and when she wasn’t staring off into space she was making up scenarios where she was in a dark theatre with someone else. Someone with large hands to hold onto hers, ones that would be able to curl into fists and keep her from harm. 

“That was better than expected.” Sophia says as they exit the theatre and Jessi is forced to withdraw from her own private little universe. 

“Yeah! I thought it was way awesome.” Jessi replied trying her best to sound like she knew what she was talking about. 

“Especially the part with the car chase.” Sophia added. 

“Totally…” Jessi responded already feeling herself being dragged away from the conversation. Sophia grabs her arm and they stop in the middle of the pavement, lucky no one is around to yell at them for blocking up the walkway. 

“There was no car chase Jessi.” Sophia says in her mom of disappointment voice. “Seriously. What is going on with you? It’s like you are everywhere but where your body is these days!” Before Jessi has to submit herself to the humiliation of explaining that she has been daydreaming over a boy, a voice cuts through her deep sigh and causes both girls to turn their heads quickly to the sound of it.

“Hey shortie! Didn’t expect to be seeing you so soon!” The voice shouts from across the way were sitting in a chair like its a throne sits none other than Axel himself. Jessi does take a second to wonder if she is hallucinating. 

“She’s not short. You are just unnaturally tall. Also, who the hell are you?” Sophia shouts back. Her arm tightening around Jessi, clearly listening to her maternal instincts to get ready to shove Jessi out of the way.

“You mean she didn’t tell you about the handsome strangers she met?” Axel retaliates. “Honestly, I’m wounded. I thought we had something.” Sophia looks at her with a facial expression that can only be summed up as  _ what is going on? _

“Hi Axel.” Jessi calls back and ignores Sophia’s confused looks as she grabs her roommate's arm and tugs her across the street. A wolfish grin crosses Axel’s face as he sees Jessi draw nearer. Jessi can't help but blush as she sees that it wasn’t just the dark lighting giving her the benefit of the doubt. Axel is just a breathtakingly handsome in broad daylight as he is in the dark. 

I mean come on, she has eyes. His muscles alone could make someone want to be around him. Then paired with those legs that seem to stretch forever and the hair and ugh, it just isn’t fair. 

“I didn’t think I would see you again after you fled like that. But I'm glad to see you exist outside of insulting me on the sidewalk.” Axel said with that cocky grin plastered on his face. Jessi blushes a light shade of pink and she can tell Sophia is just plain lost. “Now I have a chance to give you my number.” There is a cough from the small female who Jessi had entirely failed to notice. She was tiny. Like smaller than Jessi tiny. However, her size and stature didn’t mean that she didn’t look like she could take Jessi’s wallet without her knowing and then defeat her in hand to hand combat AND no one would find the body. 

“And this,” Axel continues, “Is Xion. She’s part of the- my family. Sort of. Kind of. Basically.” He finished lamely. 

“It’s um- nice to meet you?” Jessi stammers out. Seriously, this girl so far has said zero words but has already intimidated Jessi out of her mind. All the girl does in retaliation is look Jessi up and down, squint a little bit, and then look to Axel as if he has told her some outrageous lie. Needless to say, it does not do wonders for Jessi’s confidence.

“Anyway,” Axel continues ever gracefully, “I’m still waiting.”

“For what?” Sophia pops in, “The 2000’s metal bands to call for their clothing back.” Noted. Sophia does not like Axel. Axel must pick up on this as well because the next thing he says is with the charm dial turned up to about 11. Which to be honest, Jessi didn’t think was possible. 

“For your lovely companion's number, if she would care to give it to me, but in my haste I overlooked an extremely important part of this exchange and that would be being introduced to the… sister?” Axel questioned.

“Roommate,” Jessi answered for them. “So not far off. Sophia, why don’t you head to CVS and pick up that thing you needed. I’ll be right there.” Sophia gives her a look like Jessi has lost her mind but she takes her leave and heads off towards the drug store to get whatever it was she needed. 

“Now that we have that taken care of,” Axel whispers in Jessi’s ear startling her, “I just want you to know I’m being serious.” Jessi flushes and looks down at her shoes. She isn’t sure she wants to be giving out her number to a complete stranger. She’s heard the stories of how that can go. However, she can’t quite give up on the idea of having Axel in her life. 

“I’ll do you one better.” Jessi counters. “Take me out. If by the end I like you enough I might just give you my number.” 

“Okay I’ll bite.” Axel replies, running a hand through his hair and making it hard for Jessi to breathe. “What do you have in mind.” 

“I haven’t been to Museum Mile yet.” Jessi says daring to look up into Axel’s eyes. 

“Isn’t that all rather.. Touristy?” Axel asks.

“Well, have you ever been?” Jessi retorts. Axel opens his mouth as if to speak but then closes it and bites his lips together in an obvious answer. “Yeah. That’s what I thought. I will meet you at 5th and 95th at 11 am sharp on Friday.” 

And with that Jessi gave Axel a flashy grin, turned on her heel, and left, following after her roommate. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting this from the backseat of a rental car mid way through death valley via my phone's hotspot so you better appreciate it jess


	3. green eyes tell you lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axel doesn't believe he deserves nice things.

Green eyes followed the departing figure taking all the details of the girls' form. A quiet but not so subtle cough broke his trance. Eyeing his small companion he asked, quite violently if you ask Xion, which no one ever did.

“Wha-?” Her blue eyes looked to the empty sidewalk where the girl had been. 

“Her? Seriously?” Xion broke him off throwing her hands up in the air. Displaying WAY more emotion than Axel ever thought she could. “This is who you are chasing after?” Axel’s reaction was quickly pulled into a frown.

“You say that like she’s some Bachelorette reject!” Axel said throwing his hands out to match Xion’s energy. “Look at her!” He gestures off into the middle distance where Jessi is NOT standing, but instead a very stoutly man with a beer gut. “I mean, you saw her. You have eyes. How could I not?” He took a breath, carting his hand through his hair slowly, because,  _ wow. _

A girl like that? 

Someone who had plans and goals and enjoyed wearing more than one colour wasn’t his usual type, but maybe that’s why all of his past relationships have failed. If you could call the pathetic dates he went on to appease his dad’s coworker’s dates. 

He suddenly realized that he has an audience, “I’m just saying, she should feel lucky a guy like me is asking for her number. It’s not every day that someone this good looking comes around.” 

“Ah, yeah that must be why she didn’t end up giving you her number. I get it now.” Xion replied.

“Okay. Maybe I wasn’t able to swipe her digits, but I do have a date. Which, in my book, is better.” He said snarkily. Sitting back down again he watched Xion sip her tea. 

“Mhm… in a part of town you don’t belong.” She sighed setting the cup down.

“I can go anywhere I want.” He replied spitefully. A silence swept over the two again as Xion slowly brought the tea to her lips again. Lips which were plastered with a smirk knowing she was right.

“How did you even find this-. Wait, what is her name?” Axel went to reply, opened his mouth even, but stopped realizing he didn't know the answer. “Ah. That's what I thought.” Xion laughed. “Where did you even find this chick?” 

“Outside the little Italian place, Roxas likes. She…” He pauses here, picking his next words very carefully, “..had a run-in with one of Ansem’s men”

“And you interfered?” Xion spat out, obviously not satiated by Axel’s careful wording. “You know what he will do to you if he finds out you were messing with any of his members.”

“Do you really think I could forget?” Axel shouted back. Xion knows him better than to assume he would ever, could ever, forget the things he saw- the things  _ he did.  _ He bites down on his tongue as to not spit out any more words that he might regret later. He tastes copper in his mouth. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Xion said sighing. Axel looks at her then, as she stares off into the distance, watching someone, probably psychoanalyzing them- the freak. She looks tired than normal. There are lines on her forehead from worry and none around her eyes from smiling. 

“I know, I know.” Axel concedes something he’s been working on in the mirror.  _ You aren’t that guy you see in the mirror. He’s gone. You’re here. _

Finishing their drinks they both tossed a few bucks on the table for their things and went into the alley where their bikes were. “Does she even know what you do? Or better yet, who you are?” Xion asked while straddling her bike.. 

“Nah, she knows my name, and this.” He gestured to his own body while sitting on his bike. “What more could a girl ask for.” He laughed before speeding out of the ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is this edited? no. am i trying to enroll for 22 credit next semester? yes.


	4. in museums all i stare at is you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holding hands is harder than Jessi expected.

Jessi has never been an easy shopper. Everything was always too big in the waist but right in the legs, or hung off her lanky shoulders weird - making her look like some sort of sad shark that grew hair. However, her tried and true method of buying something and then having her mom sew it to her right body fit, won’t work. Therefore, six stores, twenty-three dresses, two cups of coffee, and one very tired Jessi later, she was trudging back to her apartment Thursday night completely empty-handed. 

Which kind of sucked. She had worked overtime the past couple of day’s in order to take some time off, then instead of getting to take a nap, she let that nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that she should look “girly” and “pretty” and “not badass” for a date… with a man who rode a motorcycle. 

Jesus, Jessi can be dense sometimes. Which is why now, nine am sharp she is deciding her first date is going to be completed wearing some black ripped jeans she thinks came from Goodwill and a graphic T-Shirt of some video game character or another, which didn’t really matter as she pulled on her windbreaker over it, threw her hair up in braid, and dashed out with her usually smokey eye and winged eyeliner that could cut a man - just in case Axel got any ideas.

Axel, it turned out did not have any ideas. When Jessi arrived on scene at their meeting place, his bright red hair, paired with his dark clothing, and the general vibe his only emotion was thinly veiled rage, made him the easiest person to spot in the crowd. She walked up to him, thinking over in her head what on Earth do you say to someone you just randomly asked out!

She should have workshopped this. She should have googled this. She should have consulted Sophie. 

“What’s up my fellow associate.” Axel says and the proceeds to stick his hand out, in what Jessi assumes is his imitation of a business handshake. Clearly making it known that he has never before had a serious business encounter. She takes it anyway and grips it tightly. Buzzfeed once told her that a strong handshake was the key to success. 

“Pleasure to meet you. Bet you’re wondering why I’ve gathered you here today.” Jessi said, voice completely monotone. She might be imitating her first boss. Axel didn’t need to know that. 

“Oh, I know why you’ve brought me here.” Axel said gripping her hand and pulling Jessi forward. Her hand flew up to steady herself and found it clutching the black fabric that laid itself across Axel’s firm chest. She could feel the heat beneath it, though whether that was coming from his heart or her embarrassment had yet to be decided. “You obviously want to know what I’m offering. Well, let me tell you,” he says leaning down to whisper in Jessi's ear, “my recommendations are all stellar.” 

Jessi feels her heart flutter in her chest. It beats at her ribs pounding to be let out and held in Axel’s hands. But Jessi in made from stronger stuff than that and after a few moments of swallowing she leans out just enough to make direct eye contact and say, “I’m sorry. Family members are not allowed as recommenders.”

Axel, immediately jumps back clutching his chest like he’s just been shot. He gives her a look of betrayal like she’s just ripped out his liver and eaten it in front of him. Jessi almost feels bad. Almost. 

“I’m hurt.” He says. “Honestly, I’m wounded. You’ve absolutely destroyed me. And not even in the way I was hoping.”

“You really are insufferable aren’t you?” Jessi responds rolling her eyes, but in the way she hopes conveys she does actually find this kind of amusing. Normally, any man over six foot she automatically stays away from but there is something about Axel that just gives off the impression that he is kind of like a red panda. Cute. Kind of dumb. Might fall on his face if she leaves him to his own devices. 

“I’m insufferable! You are the one stringing me along for the ride!” Axel commented. “I don’t even know where we are going!”

“Well, let’s fix that.” Jessi said coyly. She spun on her heel and began walking towards one of the buildings in the plaza. Coming to stop in front of it she gestured up dramatically. “The first stop on the tour.”

“The Morbid Anatomy Museum?” Axel said reading the sign. “I take it back. I take everything I ever said back. You are clearly unstable and will murder me in my sleep.” He chuckled. “It’s not ever the best form of sleep… activity.” Jessi just rolls her eyes and starts walking towards the door. 

To Axel’s credit the gratuitous flirting calms down as they walk through the isles of compressed human hands and directions on how to rip off a head. Jessi, who had been fascinated with all things macabre since she first understood what a haunted house was, had been dying to go to this museum since she first moved. Axel seemed like the perfect person to take. He didn’t even flinch when they turned a corner and saw a human body ripped apart into one straight line. 

It was… nice. Having someone to walk around with and make small talk and make fun of the visitors displaying a pale complexion. Too soon they had reached the end of the exhibit and Jessi quickly pulled her phone out to see where they could go next. 

“We could always go to the Museum of the United States Postal Office?” Jessi provided scanning the list of museums she had gathered that morning. 

“Well, you know what I’m shipping…” Axel asks in a voice so casual Jessi response without thinking about his words.

“What?” She replies. And as the single syllable leaves her mouth she instantly regrets it because she sees the shit-eating grin spread across Axel’s face. 

“It’s me and you.” He replies sliding one hand up her arm in what is probably an attempt to be sexy. Jessi, having known Axel for three whole hours now can discern that really all he wants is attention.

“That’ll be $29.99 for expedited shipping. Please pay at the next counter.” She replied going back to looking at the list of museums on her phone.

“Wow. Okay. Tough crowd.” Axel muttered. “Got to admit that one stung a little. It’s usually at this part where you would swoon into my arms, and remark how amazingly handsome I am, you know, the usual.”

“Does that mean you do this often?” Jessi asks, casting her eyes up to gauge Axel’s reaction to the question. “Dating other girls? Or are you simply dating yourself in these scenarios.” 

Axel straight-up laughs at the question. It’s loud and brash and calls attention to him, just like everything else in his life. 

“Would it be better or worse if I said no to both?” He runs a hand through his hair and Jessi does admit that his stomach clenches rather tightly as she stares at his huge hands. “I promise I’m not a narcissist, well, the promise might be strong. To the best of my knowledge, I’m just a totally normal absolutely amazing guy.” 

It’s Jessi’s turn to laugh now, or more like snort and immediately her hands shoot up to her mouth to cover the sound. Axel, just grins at her like he’s seen the best thing ever. She opens her mouth to defend herself with the greatest and most cutting edge remark ever when Axel interrupts her. 

“Shut up. Don’t say anything. I just want to take this in. Holy shit.” He says staring way too intently at her. 

“You shut up.” Is her absolutely killer defense. Luckily, her phone saves her from further humiliation. “Whoa! Okay, I found our next museum. I think you are going to love it.” She looks him up and down for dramatic effect. “Yeah, you definitely look like the type to enjoy that sort of stuff.” 

“Where are we going personal tour guide.” Axel asks giving her a half-hearted salute.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” She says, then in a moment of courage, she grabs his hand. Fingers interlocked and pulls him off in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apparently ao3 doesnt know what indenting is thank u you weird but lovely platform


	5. me, you, and your father's son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axel doesn't speak with his father often - and for good reasons.

Axel stops his motorcycle in front of the familiar old brick wall of St. Sword’s Pub, killing the engine and dismounting with his heart still beating a million miles a minute. Secured in one of the many pockets of his leather jacket, was a very special piece of paper with seven digits.

His date with Jessi had been a dream. The hours passed so fast that by the end of it when the sky was dark and all the museums were closed Axel had barely felt like he had time to blink, let alone spend all the time he wanted with Jessi. She was just so… captivating. He would look at something and his first instinct would be to call her over because all he wanted was to share this experience with her. It was… scary, to say the least.

People like Axel didn’t get that feeling. Or at the very least, they weren’t supposed to. And with good reason. 

He ends inside through the Employee’s Only entrance hoping to bypass anyone who might ruin the kind of euphoria which was rushing through his veins right now.

“Slow down hotshot.” Says a voice from behind him. Shit. He turns around and sees Xion pull herself from whatever dark corner she lodged herself into, no doubt awaiting his return. “Where have you been for the past, oh, seven hours.”

“I was out.” Axel replies curtly. He doesn’t want to do this right now. “Why? Got something on the top shelf you needed to reach? You know they make step stools for people like you.”

“Too bad there isn’t anything to shorten that ego.” Xion replies, smoothly as ever. “Or apparently that blush. Forget to wear the helmet… or forget that you too experience human emotions.”

“I thought rage and envy didn’t count for you.” Axel mentions, remembering a conversation they had a while back when Xion might have been a little violent from losing one too many sparring matches. 

“Oh they count alright, but I doubt little-miss-stabby-stab invites those in you.” Xion says smirking

“If you look at my dick I will kill you.” Axel replies. Xion just rolls her eyes.

“Listen, what I mean is be careful. People aren’t used to you being all,” she waves her hand around his body, “like that. You know these people don’t like change and your changing.”

Just then their conversation is interrupted by a door into the backroom bursting open and a certain blonde loud mouth barreling through. 

“Hey, Xion-” Roxas starts, “Oh shit! Axel, you’re back! How did your trip to Sally’s got.” Axel ignores the side-eye look Xion gives him at the mention of his lame cover story. 

“Roxas I’ll never understand why you see in men but I’m sure glad it leaves more ladies for me.” Axel says pulling Roxas into their one of a kind bro hug. 

“Why do you think I got into The Organization in the first place? Debt?” Roxas scoffs. “Nah. All you handsome bastards wearing leather.” Axel can’t help but smile at this dumbass of a best friend. “Anyway, you’re dad is looking for you. Not sure what for.” 

Axel’s good mood falls straight through his stomach. It knots itself up and maximizes all of his fears currently compartmentalized away for the night. Don Luxa was not somebody you wanted against you, especially if you were his only son. He swallows all of this and shoots both of them one of his award-winning smiles, heading out into the front to see what his father wants. He’s not even four steps into the empty front lounge when a voice says,

“So good of you to join us. Axel.”

“Well, I am the life of the party after all,” Axel says with as much as his usual grandeur as he can muster. Something about his father has always put him off his game. His father turns around to look at him. His usual immaculate white dress shirt the peppered with red flecks and Axel can see he carries a loaded glock in one of his hands. Not meant for Axel, he’s obviously entered in on something in which someone was a lot less fortunate than he. The implication of violence stands with them in the room. 

Axel’s father ignores him and instead continues,

“Got an interesting call tonight from one of Ansem’s men. Normally, I wouldn't even entertain them but they told me they had something important to say. So, me being the gracious host that I am, brought them in and gave them a listen.” He pulls a white handkerchief from his pocket and starts wiping his fingers on it. One by one, staining the white cloth pink. “Don’t you want to know what they were talking about?

“What were Ansem’s men babbling about this time. Surely you-”

“They were going off about my son!” Luxa interrupts, “My own son, can you believe that? Told me a story about how my own flesh and blood was going off and picking fights with Ansem’s drug runners. Can you believe that?” 

Axel doesn’t say a word.

“I asked, can you believe that?”

“No, sir.” Axel replies. 

“Now, I’m thinking to myself, there is no way my boy would go against me, especially not for some low class not even worth a bullet,” Luxa clicks his glock, pulling back on the safety and inspecting it as if it’s structure has changed with one bullet. “So I say to him, ‘Are you sure it was Axel’. Sure enough, they had a photo of you, on that ridiculous bike of yours, throwing on of Ansem’s men into a wall.”

He turns to face his son and Axel thinks that his heart has stopped dead in his chest. He can barely hear the words his father is saying. Please, God someone let this be over.

“So, I am only going to ask you this once. What was so important you went against direct Organization code, risked your inheritance to everything I’ve built, and possibly started a turf war of unknown proportions?” 

“I was doing what you always taught me to do.” Axel knows the only reason his voice doesn’t shake is because his nails are digging into his palms. “Sir.” He adds on the end for good measure.

“And what is that?” Luxa asks.

“Proving ourselves to be the better men.” Is Axel’s reply. He’s been taught from birth to lie, no one would ever believe his truth. He holds his breath in anticipation for his father’s verdict. The room holds still.

His father sighs. 

“Axel,” Luxa’s form shrinks and Axel can suddenly see the dark circles under his father’s eyes, “being the better man doesn’t always mean being the good person. For christ’s sake, we are locked in a land war-”

“Don’t you think I know that!” Axel shouts pleasantries be damned. “I lost her too you know. I know why you can’t stand to look at me” 

“This isn’t about her. She is gone and there is nothing either of us can do about that.”Axel’s father rages. “This is about you being reckless. She’s gone, you aren’t, and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way. Which is why I don’t understand-”

“He was going to kill somebody. Kill a perfectly innocent girl over twenty fucking dollars.” He sees his father’s shoulders drop, the tension leaving his body. “I figured if Ansem ‘s boys were holding people up for a fucking Andrew Jackson Ansem must be weaker than we thought. So I acted.”

“It’s those kinds of rash decisions which will be your downfall Axel.” His father replies motioning for one of his guards to come and take his sidearm. “You know that’s not how we run things.”

“And why is that?” Axel questions, feeling bolder than he should. “Why can’t we ever stand up to that crusty bastard, huh? Has he got his little hand shoved so far up your-”

“QUIET!” Luxa’s voice bellows throughout the entire hall making the glasses on the shelf rattle and Axel feels as if he is thirteen again. They stand there, directly across from each other and Axel can tell his father is world’s away.

“I understand.” His father begins after what seems like a decade has passed. “I understand your frustration. I didn’t understand either at your age, but I had enough common sense to know who did. Now we are going to look over this issue as long as no one so much as even sees you north of second avenue. Got it?”

Axel swallowing his words and pride replies, “Got it.”

“Good. Now leave.”

Axel doesn’t need to be told twice. He spins on his heel and walks back out the door which he entered, ready to push back out into the cold New York night when he catches sight of Xion, still shrouded in her corner. They look at each other and say nothing. Axel turns and pushes the door open feeling the breeze on his cheeks again when he hears behind him,

“She must be some special girl.”

Axel thinks about that for a second and responds,

“Not yet, but I really think she could be.” 

The door shuts behind him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i should mention by now ive never played kingdom hearts and therefore have been writing this by the seat of my pants this whole time... anywho had to make up a father for axel bc apparently he doesn't have one.... cool cool cool cool cool


	6. bad times at the el ray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessi wishes she could just go to sleep. Someone else has different plans.

Jessi arrives home that night to a rather quiet apartment. Living in New York she has grown used to the loud noises from cars and bar fights and people not understanding that two am isn’t a good time for trap music. It was all part of the charm now. The big city dream simply came with a soundtrack of an urban cacophony. 

Tonight, Jessi bets she could fall asleep even with the Boston Pop’s playing in the next room. Her legs feel like jello and her body sways across the entryway as she strips her coat off and kicks her shoes into the closet. Her brain feels like someone shoved a vacuum in and sucked out every single brain cell Jessi had. She was wonderstruck.

Axel was…. Axel. He was funny and charming but still managed to drive her crazy with his chauvinistic attitude. But the way he would look at things and the questions he’d ask meant not only was be paying attention, but that he cared. He really cared about things, deep down passed all that sarcasm and anger. That to Jessi, made him absolutely beautiful. 

That and the fact that he was wearing a leather jacket.

And probably had a six pack.

“Hey, Soph! I’m back!” Jessi calls out into the apartment. An unnecessary feature for their small abode, but some habits die hard. When she is not immediately attacked by a very small roommate she calls out again, “Soph? Where are you.” 

Sophia didn’t appear to be putzing around the apartment which was odd, considering her less the normal sleeping habits. Jessi leads herself into their living room glancing around only to find said roommate passed out on the couch. 

“Asleep in jeans? Really Soph? That’s a new low.” Jessi mumbled. “Even for us.” Some National Geographic special plays on their TV lighting up the room with the stark white images of the arctic ice caps. Jessi, having the only thing she remembered from 8th grade health was that a TV costs as much in power as a fridge, tried to dig around for the remote.

“Why don’t we just invest in like, Apple TV?” She asks herself as she tries to find the damn thing among their collective pile of Good Housekeeping and cans of Dr. Pepper. It’s at the moment she feels a cold wind rush up her spine. Glancing to her left she see that the window has been left open.

“So much for saving electricity there Sophia. Thank you.” And Sophia is the one who insisted on starting a compost bin for the apartment complex so she could take it down to the neighborhood garden. She closes the window and as she does so finds the remote sitting on the ledge of the window sill. 

“Strange place for you to be little buddy.” Jessi mumbles.

She turns around and points the remote at the TV, learning early on that distance and direction were both key factors in getting their less than stellar TV to function properly. The screen goes black and just as she is about to turn around and try to rouse her room mate from her sleep she notices in the darkness of the TV’s reflection something that shouldn’t be there.

A human silhouette.

She whips around just as a hand comes up and drives a needle down into her neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyooo i was at sdcc so sorry irl jessi but here is some mmmmmmm more content


	7. the kidnapping guide for hard core lady types

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessi never thought she would be straight-up kidnapped. That's why she didn't put it on her bucket list.

Jessi has to admit she’s never been kidnapped before. At least to her best knowledge, this is what kidnapping is. She goes over the mental checklist in her head. Being drugged. Check. Transported to a secondary location. Check. Being tied to a chair. Check.

She’s trying to remember all of the kidnapping media she has ever consumed. Is she supposed to struggle? Wait for an opportune moment? Just start screaming? Humor is a good defense in situations like these, the voice in her head just keeps saying, keep on that train of thought. Jessi is so unprepared for this. But she reasons, how is anyone prepared for situations like this? Unless your father is a werewolf hunter, a superhero or freakin’ Liam Nesson nobody expects to be kidnapped. 

The only shred of hope that Jessi is holding on to right now is that since someone broke into her apartment, drug her (and successfully at that), and managed to transport her to what seems to be some sort of establishment and not a basement, is that this is a  _ professional  _ gig. Yeah, Jessi, kidnapped by  _ professionals.  _ Is this because she downloaded Tinder?

“Jesus.” She mumbles testing her voice out in the dark room. “These restraints are dummy tight.” She blinks her eyes, trying to get rid of the horizontal lines that blur her vision. She vaguely remembers feeling similar when she got her wisdom teeth removed all those years ago. 

“Well, that looks breakable,” Jessi comments glancing over at the singular window which is the only source of light. The shelves, which are just now coming into focus, seem to be lined with bottles upon bottles of liquor. “Those are definitely breakable.” Glass can cut ropes right? Does that make sense? 

Jessi, not one to sit around and let life happen to her, kidnapping or no, starts seeing how far she can push her ankle restraints from the bar on the chair. Giving herself enough room to leverage her toes against the floor she pushes off the concrete.

And promptly falls face-first into a shelf of what appears to be Grey Goose vodka. Bourge place. Luckily her forehead saved her from falling face-first onto the floor. Crunching her neck up unto what must have been a heroic double chin she manages to right herself by basically slamming her head off the shelf.

So, Jessi isn’t good at self-rescue. That’s okay. We all have our strengths. Footsteps sound from outside the door alerting Jessi to the very real situation that there are people out there who want to hurt her. That doesn’t help with the high heart rate Jessi is experiencing. Her vision starts to blur again and she can’t hear anything because her stupid pulse is drowning out everything.

“Ah. You are with us now.” The figure who just entered the room says. “That brings me great joy.” His voice slide like soap. Sticky and adhesive gluing itself to everything in the room. “It is so good that we found you when we did. Things could have been… complicated else wise.” He pauses then, coming to a stop in front of Jessi and she is finally able to take a look at him. 

All Jessi can say is that he is tall. Like, really tall. A kind of tallness that makes Jessi very uncomfortable. His hair is also strange, though this man can’t be older than thirty, he had all grey hair. Must be the stress from all the kidnapping. The silence has stretched on while Jessi experiences this. 

“Am I supposed to say something?” Jessi asks. She’s never been kidnapped before. This seems to make the man grimace.

“No. I can’t imagine what you are going through at the moment.” He eventually says. “After all, it is not every day you discover that someone you trusted has betrayed you on such a fundamental level.”

“I know you just told me not to talk, but I should let you know that I am really confused.” Jessi says vomiting the words out as quick as she can.

“Oh, poor dear.” His sickening saccharine sweet voice lulls. “I am sure this is all very confusing for you, but not to worry. We are here to help you. We are good people.”

Jessi would like to point out that she is tied to a chair right now. She is also in a storage room filled with  _ very  _ expensive liquor. 

“Oh. Good to hear that.” Is what Jessi’s dumb ass brain decides to say at that moment. “Would you mind explaining why I am here?”

“Well, we couldn’t have that silly little boy going and killing you like he planned could we!” Is his response, and needless to say that is not the response Jessi was expecting.

“Excuse me?” She stammers.

“I believe you know him as Axel.” The man begins pulls a bottle from the shelf and giving it a once over. “What a terrible man. Always on the hunt for his next kill.” He clicks his tongue in a way that reminds Jessi of her overly condescending fifth-grade teacher. “Some gangsters are just like that, you know.”

A what now?

“Well, I guess you don’t know. After all, you were just dragged into this. Such a shame.” The man finishes.

“I’m sorry but did you just say gangster? As in, mafia drug running, mob shootout, Gotham underworld style gangster?” Jessi asks her mind running a mile a minute. 

“Much less theatrical than that. But did you really expect someone like that to be on the proper side of the law?” Jessi is getting a little tired of the tone this man is having.

“So who does that make you in this situation? Rival gang? Mafia Peace Corps or some shit?” Jessi asks.

“I’m someone who’s interested in seeing Axel and his Organization become something we speak of in the past tense for good,” the man says once again coming to stand in front of Jessi, “and I think together we can accomplish that goal.” 

“The goal of toppling a criminal empire?” Jessi questions. “That’s not really in my repertoire. I’m a barista. I work in a place where if someone is unhappy I offer them a warm scone. I have wrists a baby duck could snap.” 

“I appreciate your wisdom on what you can accomplish. However, your intelligence has been misplaced.” He sends her a toothy smile. “You are stronger than you think.”

Nobody has ever told Jessi that. She has to admit. It feels… good. 

“In fact, I’m surprised you haven't wormed your way out of these restraints already.” The man pulls a switch knife from his pocket and unsheathed it. “But none-the-less, we have many things to discuss, let us not prattle on as prisoner and keeper anymore. We have a city to save.” 

He slices through the ropes on her ankles and wrists and extends one of his rather bony hands out for Jessi to grab. 

“What’s your name?” Jessi asks rubbing her wrists. 

“People know me as Xemnas, but with like a face like yours, you can call me Xem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bro my headache is BIG TIME but my love for u is BIGGER so here is some PLOT lmaoooooooooo


	8. my reality must be different than yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessi doesn't know who to trust anymore.

“So Xem,” Jessi starts trying to sort the crazy amount of questions running through her head right now, “what exactly are you going on about with my one date in so many months being a crime lord?” 

“I promise I will answer all, darling.” Off. Jessi did  _ not  _ like being called that. Especially but someone who she had just met. Even if he was rather shredded. God. Was everyone who worked in organized crime really swole? Did they have like a joint membership? A special gangster gym? “Let me first escort you out of this sour scenery.” Xem takes her elbow and guides her up the small flight of stairs and to a large oak door which he pushes open. Light spills into the dimly lit corridor and Jessi is faced with a brightly lit room. 

There are stark white sofas scattered around with luxurious rugs places sporadically under them. Everything seems as if it has never been touched before. Like it was ripped for a sterile hospital package and set out to be looked at like a china doll.

Xem leads up through the room, and Jessi, still in her clothes from her day with Axel and she feels horribly out of place. She’s a knock off jacket sitting next to New York fashion week. He leads her up a grand flight of stairs, her kitten heels knocking on each marble step sending echoes through the giant empty house. 

“I don’t mean to pry,” Jessi begins, “but where is everyone?” It seems to be completely devoid of life except for the pair.

“Oh yes, please pardon my colleagues' absences. They are currently occupied with the prevention of a terrible….” he looks up and down choosing his words carefully, “..scuffle with your former lover’s little gang.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jessi says astonished. That would be ridiculous. Date all day and then go home to blast a few bullets into some helpless man? Right?

“Oh. I am afraid not.” Xem says pushing the door at the top of the stairs open and leading Jessi into what she can only guess is someone’s office who is very much more important than her. “Take a look.” 

He gestures to the TV mounted on the wall which is playing a breaking news segment from the local news

“ _ And now on to a shocking discovery made just moments ago. It appears that popular television host Sandra Hoy was found dead outside a pub in northern Manhattan this evening after what appears to have been shot in the head. The pub where he was found outside of, The Key, has been a popular spot with the city’s most notorious criminals. If you should…” _

Jessie was in shock. She opened her mouth to speak. To say anything. To say something that can excuse this. But she knows that bar. 

_ Four hours ago _

“You’ve never been on a bar crawl?” Axel coughs out, choking on his coffee. They had just finished their tour of “History of Coffee: From Bean to Roast” and had gotten on the subject of favourite liquids. 

“Okay, how are you roasting me for that when you said your favorite drink was Windex!” Jessi explains, not sure if her soul is exasperated or drop-down laughing.

“You asked me what my favourite liquid was! What was I supposed to say? Something basic like fuckin’  _ water? _ ” Axel puts on a smirk then. Looking over to Jessi who just realized how close they were sitting on this bench. She could feel the warmth of his thigh pressed up against hers through the thick denim of his pants. Even under the material, she can still see the definition of his muscles, reminding her of the power that resides in his legs. Wonder how those would feel wrapped-

“I guess I coulda said bleach.” Axel continues thankfully detailing  _ that  _ train of thought. “Can’t forget about the good old brain bleach.” He knocks against her shoulder affectionately and Jessi feels her face blush up. “But back to the matter at hand. You have never been on a pub crawl and we are going to change that. I’m sorry, that’s the rules.”

“Okay hotshot.” Jessi says suddenly feeling more confident. She leans into Axel and gives him a genuine smile. “I will go on a pub crawl, as long as you’re on it.” He leans in as well. Jessi can see the flecks of brown in his bright green eyes. They bore into her as if looking into her and guessing all her secrets. She can feel the breath from his mouth and-

Axel pulls back sudden;y, speaking very fast, “Anyway, my dad owns a join uptown called The key. We can start there and make our way south.”

Jessi’s heart is beating so fast she can only nod.

The sound of Xem clicking his tongue brings Jessi back to the now shaking her out of her head.

“It’s such a travesty.” Xem sighs muting the new anchor and turning back to Jessi. “Organization 13 could have done so much for this world, but instead…” He trials off gesturing back to the TV screen.

“Organization 13?” Jessi questions. “What the hell is that?” Xem chuckles to himself as if Jessi told a good old dad joke.

“Oh, I supposed I forgot to mention.” He says placing a manilla envelope on the desk. “Organization 13 is the gang your boyfriend is the heir to.” 

_ My dad owns a joint…. Called the Key. _

Jessi feels like she is going to vomit. No, she takes that back. She feels like she needs to scoop out her brain and put it in a jar because apparently, she has no brain cells anyway. How could she be so stupid! What was she thinking? That her and Axel were going to work out? 

Things like that don’t happen to Jessi. Jessi works eighteen-hour days and then watches  _ Survivor  _ reruns in her underwear while eating reheated taquitos.

“Why would he want anything to do with me? Axel, I mean, why on Earth would he go through everything..”She lets her voice trails off. 

“Why do villains do anything?” Xem responds. He extends a hand to put on her shoulder and Jessi can hardly feel any warmth from his body. He’s the opposite of Axel. Ice to his fire - but it’s more than that now. These people are the good guys. “To be loved. Held on pedestals. To tower over those they think lower than themselves.” 

Jessi can’t help but lose herself again in the events that transpired what could have only been hours ago,. The way Axel offered to hold her jacket or tell her fun facts he knew from middle school - all the things he didn’t have to do. Back to the night when they first met… he saved her from that guy. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, he helped her out in a time of need when no one else was around. He was a stranger then - and she wishes he wasn't even more of a stranger now. 

“I know this all must be so tiring on you.” Xem waxes sending Jessi one of his full tooth grins. The kind that makes her feel like she is being put up for auction. “But we really must continue on. There is much for us to accomplish.” 

He slides the letter to Jessi who picks it up carefully and opens it pulling out what seems to be an invitation to some kind of party, a picture of a middle-aged man with red hair who she thinks must be Axel’s father, and a page from a notebook with the combo 13-8-3 written on it and circled

“What does all of this mean?” Jessi asks laying each object out on the table before her.

“There is a party coming soon A party that if everything goes well you will be going to.” Xem says pointing to the invitation which sits on the table. “A certain someone is also going to be at this party.” Xem continues giving Jessi a wink and smirk. She has to admit, when he’s not being a pretentious asshole he’s kinda cute. Of course, after she thinks this she mentally kicked herself. “All we need you to do is keep Axel distracted long enough for us to grab the evidence we need to incriminate his father.”

“Okay. I’m assuming this is him?” Jessi asks pointing to the picture of the man. “No offense, but he doesn’t look like he runs an insidious crime ring.”

“They never do darling.’’ Xem says shaking his head. 

“What are these numbers for?” Jessi asks, referring to the last undisclosed item. “It looks like some kind of combination.”

“That is correct. My men and I can’t very well walk in through the front door. In the back of the venue is the staff door. We need you to open it with this combination. I suggest to memorize it then burn it.” Xem says pushing it towards Jessi for her to take. “After that, all you have to do is go play housewife with Axel. Do you think you can handle that?”

Can Jessi? Jessi is the one person in her grade who didn’t participate in senior prank because she was worried they would call her mom. She’s been nothing but the good girl next door for her entire life. She thinks to Axle, to his smile and how it made her light up inside. She remembers his hands and how they felt when she held them in hers for that split second.

“I’ll do it.” Xem starts to smile. “On one condition.” Jessi takes a deep breath. “You have to promise not to hurt Axel.”

“You believe he’s innocent?” Xem asks her raising one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows.

“I believe he is a good person. If he’s done anything, and that’s a big if, he should stand trial like anyone else.” Jessi says, making direct eye contact with the man across from her. This is something she has rooted herself in. Xem takes a moment to run things over in his head before breaking out in a haunting grin.

“Very well. We will not hurt Axel. You have my word.” He sticks his hand out for Jessi to shake. Jessi looks at it. Then to Xem. Takes a deep breath and waves her old life goodbye before grabbing it firmly and giving Xem a shake

“Welcome to The Original’s, Jessi.” Xem says smiling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xem enters   
> *clown theme song begins to play*  
> Jessi: is that boo boo the fool?????


	9. you and i are separated by a whole alphabet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessi was tired - and she doesn't mean that about sleep.

By the time Jessi returns back to her shithole apartment she comes to the startling realization that she has to go to work in two hours. It seems her whole night was spent discovering she was a side character in an AMC TV show. Hopefully, she won’t be killed off in the season finale to further someone’s man pain. 

She gets the image of Axel holding her, it’s hard to breathe, she can taste copper in her mouth, everything around her is getting blurry.  _ Stop it Jessi. _ She takes a deep breath. She can’t think like that. 

She peeled off her bra and sets and alarm for one single blessed hour of sleep and has laid her head down on the pillow when she hears her phone starts ringing. Thinking to herself that even in her sleep-deprived state there is no way that was one hour. Looking at the brick of technology she sees it is not her alarm, but a certain redhead calling. 

She doesn’t know why she answers.

“Hello.” Jessi days hoping he can’t tell she is laying on her bed half asleep. “How can I help you?”

“Well, there’s certainly a lot of things you can do for me if you’re up for them.” Axel laughs. “I suppose if I was a better person I should apologize for calling so early, but we both know that’s not my style.” 

“I would think you were a telemarketer for sure.” Jessi responds and can’t help the smile creeping up on her face. Her heart feels like it is going a million miles a minute. This man killed someone last night? This absolute dipshit is able to hold a gun to someone and pull the trigger? Jessi’s brain can’t wrap itself around that.

“I just wanted to make sure no one ran away with my girl. You didn’t text me saying you got home last night. Was afraid you might have had a backup date.” Axel let’s out a soft laugh at the end. His words are all jokes and light-heartedness but it’s that soft nervous laugh at the end which tells Jessi what Axel is - and that’s nervous.

“No backup boys, I assure you.” Jessi says. 

“No kidnappings either. Gotta be aware of those pesky teens these days. Always kidnapping people.” That was a joke. Axel was telling a joke. The only problem is Jessi couldn’t find a way to laugh. Did he know? No way.

“Nothing of the sort.” Jessi lies. “I must have gotten distracted between inhaling an entire box of Wheat Thins and then crashing into bed with my pants still on.” 

“Wow. The museums' artwork was great and all but that mental picture has to be my favourite work of art.” Axel replied smoothly. God, how was he so good at this? Jessi’s stomach drops as she wonders if he says these things to other girls. She feels a rush of jealousy envelop her. She wants this to be a  _ them  _ thing. Is that weird? Maybe she loves the idea of Axel too much. Maybe she’s a goner because she is blushing way too much for such a bad pick up line.

“You still there?” Jessi hears Axel say, very confused.

“Yeah, I just had to open the window to get the smell of corn outta here.” She replies giggling.

“Oh! Is that how it is?” 

“That’s how it is.” 

“Alright, darling.” Axel begins, “how about this. I take you out and we see if you still say that by the end of the night. I’ll change my Insta bio to ‘corn boy’ if you’re not impressed.” 

Jessie should not say yes. 

“Alright. I’m in.” 

Jessi can almost feel Axel smiling through the phone. This was bad. Jessi had it bad. This was a bad idea. But here Jessi was telling a possible murder her address with the promise she’d be picked up at eight.

This is going to be a long day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> never take summer classes


	10. the world at our feet

Work blows. It demands everything from Jessi and Jessi had so little to give. She’s dead on her feet by the time her shift ends. The A train is running late making everything else go haywire and by the time Jessi ends up back home its 5 pm. 

Jessi spends two of her three hours napping. Sue her.

The last hour is spent in an absolute rush as she throws on outfit after outfit with Sophia on FaceTime telling her that green just ‘really isn’t her color’. When they’ve finished highlighting the design aspects of every single textile she owns, Jessi is dressed in a back pencil dress, but with bright cherry red sides. 

She looks great in her humble and correct opinion. Her hair is cooperating for once and though several layers of dry shampoo and moose she gets it to lay flat on her shoulders. 

Turns out her hair routine won’t even matter because when she makes her way down to the lobby of her building at 8 pm on the dot it finally dawned on her what type of vehicle Axel drives.

“No freaking way.” Jessi says starting at the death contraption that has to be Axel’s motorcycle. She has never ridden a motorcycle before and this is definitely not going to be the first time. Axel, the traitor just laughs, 

“Do you want to walk thirteen blocks?” He asks shooting Jessi a smirk and she knows that he’s already won. 

‘We could take a cab! Or and Uber! Or the subway!” Jessi argues, not letting him win without a little bit of a battle.

“And does your building have parking?” Axel counters. Jessi purses her lips together. “That’s what I thought. Now let’s get going. I have a night of surprises.” 

“Fine!” Jessi concedes. “But you are going to have to walk me through, “she gestures to the bike, “all of this.”

“Don’t you worry, darlin’.” Axel winks. “You just gotta look pretty and hold on tight.” 

Jessi couldn’t help but have her own mini freak out in her head and she climbed onto what would be her first ever motorcycle. She liked motorcycles as an idea, much less as an actuality. 

Axel, in an uncharacteristically gentleman-like move extended his black leather glove clothed hand to Jessi. She took it carefully and swung one leg over the bike.

“See. Just like riding a bike. Now you gotta scoot back. That is, unless you wanna ride in my lap.” He said with a wink. Jessi who must be a crimson shade pushed herself back as Axel climbed on in front of her. She took a deep breath in. She could do this.

She carefully leaned forward and pressed up against Axel’s back. He was a solid weight under her chest and she swore she could feel his heart beating between all their layers of clothes. His muscles tensed and Jessi grabbed tightly to her own wrists as her arms wove their way around Axel’s waist. She pressed her cheek to his muscled back breathing in his scent. It was strange. There wasn’t anything climatic about it. He didn’t smell like gunpowder or blood or steel.

He smelled like the sea; like salt and wind and a hint of caramel.

“Now here comes the fun part.” Axel said. He kicked off from the ground as the bike roared to life sending wind flying through Jessi’s hair. They soar through the busy Manhattan traffic, the lights creating a strip of fluorescent colors as they speed past. They seem to be the only living organism within the steall cacophony of black sedans, weaving in and out as Axel maneuvers with an amount of ease that takes Jessi’s breath away.

The best part of all? She says pressed up to Axel’s firm and warm back the entire time. Jessi knows she should feel horrendous. She should feel torn up and run far far away, but something just felt so… off. She’s never been one to believe a single news source, so why believe one person. She only knows one side of Axel and tonight would be the best opportunity to learn if there is something more sinister to this mysterious boy. 

They drive until a single glass building rise up above the rest. It reflects the city like a mirror creating a city in the sky. The dark milky blackness of the glass bleeds into the night sky and it’s hard to tell where the top floor is. 

Axel pulls directly into the valet parking and kills the bike. He jumps off with practiced ease and before Jessi can even think about how to dismount, Axel grabs Jessi by her waist and lifts her up slowly swinging her down onto the ground. His hands linger their, on her waist, for just a moment. They are standing close, too close, Jessi can almost feel his breath on her cheek she can see how flushed his face is she can almost lean up and-

“Good evening, sir.” The valet says. “You are expected inside.” Axel coughs. His hands drop from her waist and Jessi feels herself instinctively take a step back. 

“Good. Wouldn’t want to keep them waiting for the star of the night.” Axel smirks. He grabs Jessi’s hand and pulls her inside. As soon as they set foot in the lobby Jessi is wonderstruck. The lobby steams to stretch up creating a beautiful dome over their heads. Everything is white and easily costs a fortune. She sees signage for what must be some French restaurant. People dressed to the nines are floating in and out with diamonds on their neck and laughing in shrill fake voices. 

“Am I dressed up enough to be here?” Jessi asks suddenly very self conscious and aware of the fact that the dress she was wearing did come from a local vintage store in her hometown. 

“You are wearing a dress, aren't you?” Axel responds teasing. “And I mean come on. I’m wearing jeans if anyone should be nervous it’s me. I got a beautiful girl to impress.” Jessi looks around at the other people milling about in this lobby and deduces that no matter what Axel says she is vastly the youngest and most casual person here. “Besides,” Axel begins, “you really think I’m gonna have the best date ever surrounded by all of these weirdos. No way. Follow me.” He once again pulls Jessi towards some elevator. They are shot, up and up and up and until they reach what must be the top of the building. They step out into a private secluded eating area.

As soon as she enters the restaurant she immediately starts cussing Axel out in her mind. Everyone else there is dressed to the highest of fashion. Gucci, YSL, and some brands she hadn’t even heard of before were cloaked over women like they were running to Target. A store none of them had ever probably head of before. 

“Wow,” Jessi says, absolutely taken with the view of the city that is laid before her. The lights from the buildings below glint like stars. It almost makes her forget. Almost. “This is…”

“Almost as beautiful as ou. I know.” Alex interrupts her. He has a devilish smile on his face, like it’s not the food he wants to be eating. “You said you were new to the city. So I thought I would give you the city from above. Not something you can come across very easily.” 

“I’d say,” Jessi mumbles moving towards the railing. Heights normally scare her but the view is so mesmerizing she can’t help but draw closer. “How did you pull this off?” She asks. She knows the answer of course, but she holds out hope now might be the time Axel comes clean to her.

“My father knows some people.” Is all Axel replies with. Cryptic as ever, Jessi thinks to herself. 

He doesn’t let her stand at the railing for long. He places one of his hands on the small of her back and pushes her towards a table set for two that is set away from the others. She can’t help but smile a bit when Axel, in all of his height and foreboding, pulls out her chair for her. 

“Why thank you. I didn’t know I was dining with such a gentleman.” Jessi quips. She shouldn’t be so careless with her words. They are standing several hundred feet off the ground after all - but Axel just smiles that smile which makes Jessi’s insides turn into mush and replies,

“How could I not provide the most beautiful things, for the most beautiful girl in the world. To do anything else would be a crime.”  _ Is that the only crime you’ve committed?  _ Jessi holds the thought on her tongue. Instead she smiles coyly and pretends to be fascinated with the napkins. 

She can’t forget she is eating a meal paid with blood money. The red hair should have tipped her off. Aren’t predators in the wild dipped with bright colors to warn stupid prey like her to stay away? God. How careless could she have been. She’s smarter than this. She should have-

“Everything okay over there? I feel like I’ve lost you three feet from me.” Axel demolishes her spiral. He hand comes across the table and engulfs hers. It’s weight and warmth clear up the thoughts which clouded around her brain. Jessi doesn’t know what to make of that. 

But Axel is smiling and their food is coming, and Jessi has no clue how she is going to do what needs to be done. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here you go jessi more content now coming at you at break neck speed bc im not editing anything!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> this goes out to the real life jessi congrats girl you a weeb BUT youre MY weeb


End file.
